The present invention relates to an ejected paper receiving unit that accepts print sheets ejected by a large printer capable of printing sheets up to size A1 or B1, and a large printer equipped with such an ejected paper receiving unit.
Generally, a large printer is so designed that print sheets are ejected obliquely downward by a paper ejection unit and are accepted by an ejected paper receiving unit that is located below the paper ejection unit.
An ejected paper receiving unit can also accept relatively short print sheets, such as cut-sheets or sheets cut from paper rolls, that a large printer discharges to the rear, and can also accept relatively long print sheets that a large printer discharges to the front. Thus, in accordance with the length of a print sheet, the configuration of an ejected paper receiving unit can be altered so it can receive paper while facing to the rear or so that it can receive paper while facing the front.
For a related ejected paper receiving unit a plurality of operations are required to accept print sheets while it is positioned to the front. Specifically, in order to assemble an ejected paper stacker so that it can accept print sheets ejected to the front, an operator must change an ejected paper switching level so that the receiving direction is to the front, and must pull forward two stacking cloth fixing levers that are stored at opposite ends of the ejected paper receiving unit. In addition, an operator must pull the stacking cloth forward and attach its front end to the front ends of the stacking cloth fixing levers.
The operation of a related ejected paper receiving unit requires the performance of many procedures and much time. For instance, when a configuration whereby a print sheet is accepted to the front is changed to a configuration whereby a print sheet is accepted to the rear, or when printing is completed and the ejected paper stacking device must be disassembled and stored, an operation that is the inversion of the one performed during the assembly process, a large number of procedures must be performed, and an extended period of time is required.
To resolve the above problems, it is one objective of the present invention to perform a simple and short operation when switching from an ejected paper receiving unit configuration whereby print sheets are received to the front to a configuration whereby print sheets are received to the rear.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an unit for receiving paper ejected from a large printer which is provided with a print feeding unit for feeding the print paper from upward, a printing unit for conveying the print paper while printing thereon, and a paper ejection unit for ejecting the print paper obliquely downward after completion of the printing, comprising:
a fulcrum shaft disposed below the paper ejection unit so as to extend in a widthwise direction of the print paper;
a receiver coupled with the fulcrum shaft so as to be pivotable about the fulcrum shaft, and including a receiving member for accepting the ejected print paper, which is provided between a front end and a rear end of the receiver so as to be recessed downward, the receiver having:
a first position for accepting the ejected print paper at a front side of the printer, in which the receiver is pivoted such that the front end thereof is positioned lower than the rear end thereof; and
a second position for accepting the ejected print paper at a rear side of the printer, in which the receiver is pivoted such that the rear end thereof is positioned lower than the front end thereof,
wherein a line extended straight from the paper ejection unit along a paper ejecting direction intersects the receiving member when the receiver is in the first portion and the second position.
In this configuration, a sheet is fed from the paper feeding unit, is printed by the printing unit, is ejected obliquely downward by the paper ejection unit, and is accepted by the ejected paper receiving unit.
The ejected paper is smoothly accepted along the receiving member which is recessed downward.
Whether the ejected print paper is accepted at the front side or the rear side of the printer is easily altered by pivoting the receiver, which is very simple operation.
Furthermore, since the line extended straight from the paper ejection unit along a paper ejecting direction intersects the receiving member when the receiver is in the first portion and the second position, the ejected print paper can be surely accepted by the receiving member.
Preferably, the rear end of the third portion of the receiver is shaped so as to stand upright when the receiver is in the second position.
Generally, print paper received to the rear are relatively short, such as cut-sheets or sheets cut from rolls. Such print sheets are ejected by the paper ejection unit, freely drop to the paper receiving unit, and smoothly slide along the recessed shape formed by the receiving member. Thus, depending on the printing speed, when ejected the print paper may overshoot the rear end of the ejected paper receiving unit and fall to the floor.
In the above configuration, since the rear end of the receiver stands upright when the receiver is positioned at the rear receiving position (the second position), the rear end serves as a stopper. Therefore, the print paper received at the rear are surely halted and held at the rear of the paper receiving unit.
Preferably, the receiving member is attached to the front end of the receiver such that the attached portion is hidden from a side on which the ejected print paper passes, when the receiver is in the first position.
Generally, the print paper accepted to the front are relatively long. And even when the leading end of such a long print sheet has been received by the ejected paper receiving unit, the middle or the rear portion will still be being printed by the printing unit of a large printer, and the leading end may pass the front end of the receiving member and drop to the floor. In this case, if the leading end of the print sheet can not smoothly pass the front end of the receiver and is caught there, the rear portion of the sheet will be deflected or folded over, so that a crease may be formed in the print sheet or so that portions of the printing face may contact each other and be smudged.
In the above configuration, since the attached portion is hidden from the side on which the ejected print paper passes, the front end of the receiver is substantially linear or smoothly curved. Thus, the print sheets can be smoothly moved without being caught at the front of the receiver, and as a result, the related problem can be avoided.
Preferably, the receiver includes:
a pair of pivotable members coupled with both ends of the fulcrum shaft;
a pair of first lever members extending forward from the pivotable members to constitute the front end of the receiver;
a pair of second lever members extending backward from the pivotable members to constitute the rear end of the receiver;
a first connecting shaft extending substantially parallel with the fulcrum shaft to connect the first lever members; and
a second connecting shaft extending substantially parallel with the fulcrum shaft to connect the second lever members.
In the configuration, the lever member pairs on the side ends can be interlocked and rotated together, and the strength of the lever members for resisting twisting can be increased.
Preferably, the paper receiving unit further comprises an adjuster for adjusting a force required to pivot the receiver.
In the configuration, adjusting the appropriate rotatable force with the adjuster, unexpected switching of the ejected paper receiving position can be prevented, and the switching from and to the front receiving position and the rear receiving position can be smoothly performed.
When the ejected paper receiving unit is moved to the front receiving position or to the rear receiving position, since the adjuster can be used to increase the rotatable force, the receiver can be fixed at the pertinent paper receiving position. While during the changing of the ejected paper receiving position, since the adjuster can be used to reduce the rotatable force, only a relatively small force is required to move the receiver.
Preferably, the paper receiving unit further comprises a pair of legs for supporting both side end portions of the printer, which is connected by the fulcrum shaft.
In the configuration, since the fulcrum shaft also serves as the coupling shaft that is provided between the legs, complexity in the construction of the large printer due to the provision of the paper receiving unit can be avoided, as can an increase in manufacturing costs due to the need for additional parts.
Preferably, the second position of the receiver is configured such that the line extended straight from the paper ejection unit along a paper ejecting direction intersects the receiving member at an angle allowing the print paper ejected and slid along the receiving member to pass through the intersection.
If the leading end of the ejected print paper is brought into contact with the receiving member and is caught and retained there, the transportation resistance of the printing unit is increased. Thus, either the print paper can not be smoothly transported by the printing unit, or at the printing unit the print sheet will be deflected and make contact with the print head and cause the print quality to be deteriorated. Further, the leading end of the print paper may be folded over. Such a problem especially tends to occur when a relatively short print paper is conveyed to the rear receiving position.
In the above configuration, since the print paper can be smoothly moved without being caught and held by the receiving member, the printing unit can smoothly convey the print paper, and the related problem can be avoided.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a large printer comprising:
a print feeding unit for feeding the print paper from upward;
a printing unit for conveying the print paper while printing thereon;
a paper ejection unit for ejecting the print paper obliquely downward after completion of the printing; and
the paper receiving unit as described the above.
In the configuration, the same effects can be acquired as are attained by the paper receiving unit as described the above.